Rotating feed table for dishware and the like

ABSTRACT

A generally horizontally disposed rotatable table top is supported at three points on a pair of idler roller means and power driven roller means. Also, the table top is formed with a plurality of drain apertures, and a channel trough is located below the table top for collecting liquids flowing through the apertures and directing the same to an outlet.

United States Patent [1 1 Vilen 1 ROTATING FEED TABLE FOR DISHWARE ANDTHE LIKE [75] Inventor: Erik O. Vilen, La Grange Park, Ill. [73]Assignee: G. S. Blakeslee & Co., Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Apr. 9, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 349,204

[52] US. Cl 210/241, 210/359, 108/20, 198/33 AA, 198/209 [51] Int. ClB0ld 33/00 [58] Field of Search 108/20, 27, 139; 210/171, 210/241, 244,359; 198/33 AA, 209

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,867,771 7/1932 Slama198/209 [4 1 Sept. 17, 1974 2,865,508 12/1958 Nock 210/359 3,347,36910/1967 Conlon 3,448,701 6/1969 Cordova 108/20 Primary Examiner--CharlesN. Hart Assistant Examiner-F. F. Calvetti Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Johnson, Dienner, Emrich, Verbeck & Wagner [57] ABSTRACT Agenerally horizontally disposed rotatable table top is supported atthree points on a pair of idler roller means and power driven rollermeans. Also, the table top is formed with a plurality of drainapertures, and a channel trough is located below the table top forcollecting liquids flowing through the apertures and directing the sameto an outlet.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Pmminsww 3.836.003

SHEET 1 [1F 2 ROTATING FEED TABLE FOR DISHWARE AND THE LIKE BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION In many restaurants, cafeterias and similarestablishments, soiled dishware, silverware and the like are initiallycarried from the dining area to a service area and deposited on acollection table or counter. Then the soiled dishware are carriedindividually or in racks by workers some distance and loaded into acommercial dishwashing machine which may, for example, be of thecontinuous conveyor type.

This arrangement has a number of disadvantages. Valuable time of workersis lost in transporting the soiled dishware from the collection table tothe dishwashing machine. Also, deposit of soiled dishware on thecollection table and removal therefrom for transfer to the dishwashingmachine is a highly disorderly process. Further, the collection tablecan easily become overloaded with haphazardly stacked soiled dishware.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a rotatingfeed table which serves as a collection table upon which soileddishware, silverware and the like may be initially deposited, whichserves to transfer or convey the soiled dishware from the location ofdeposit to a location adjacent a commercial dishwashing machine, andwhich serves as an accumulator table whereby the initially depositeddishware are moved away from the location of deposit and spread out anddistributed over the surface of the rotating table top.

The rotating feed table comprises a generally horizontally disposedrotatable table top, first and second idler roller means each having aportion engaging the underside of the table top for supporting thelatter, and power driven roller means having a portion engaging theunderside of the table top for supporting and effecting rotation of thelatter. The first and second idler roller means and the power drivenroller means are circumferentically spaced apart whereby to provide athree-point support for the tabletop. This arrangement insures that thepower driven roller means will always be in contact with the table topfor effecting rotation of the latter.

In addition, the table top is provided with an upstanding central rimportion, an upstanding outer peripheral rim portion, and a plurality ofapertures intermediate the central and peripheral rim portions toaccommodate the flow ofliquids from the upper side of the table top; anda channel trough is mounted below the table top for collecting liquidsflowing through the apertures and directing the same to an outlet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofaportion of the service area of a restaurant, cafeteria or similarestablishment, wherein is located the rotating feed table of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rotating feed table of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially along the line3-3 in FIG. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIG. I, thereis shown a portion of the service area of a restaurant, cafeteria orsimilar establishment. By way of illustration, the rotating feed table10 of the present invention is located intermediate of an access opening12 in a wall 14 and a conventional conveyor type dishwashing machine 16.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the rotating feed table 10 comprisesmain frame means which includes a generally horizontally disposedtriangular frame 18 supported on three legs 20. A horizontal cross brace22 is secured to the underside of the frame 18 and provides support fora central vertical guide post 24.

Mounted on the frame 18 at two of the corners thereof are first andsecond idler roller means in the form of swivel casters 26 and 28, andmounted on the frame 18 at the third corner thereof is power drivenroller means 30 which includes a V-pulley 32 and the upper loop portionof a V-belt 34 trained thereover. The belt 34 is driven by means 36secured to the underside of the frame 18. More particularly, the drivemeans 36 includes a drive motor 38, a speed reducer 40, a pulley andbelt drive 42 therebetween, and a speed reducer output V-pulley 44 overwhich the lower loop portion of the belt 34 is trained.

Located above the frame 18 is a generally horizontally disposedrotatable table top 46, which may be formed of sheet metal or the like.The center of the table top 46 is provided with an opening in which issecured a vertical sleeve bearing 48 disposed about the guide post 24.The underside of the table top 46 is engaged with the swivel casters 26and 28 and the outer surface portion of the belt 34 at the power drivenroller means 30. In addition, the table top 46 is provided with anupstanding central rim portion 50 forming part of a central offset capportion 52 for receiving and enclosing the upper end of the guide post24, an upstanding outer peripheral rim portion 54, and a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced apertures 56 intermediate the central andperipheral rim portions 50 and 54. Mounted on the frame 18 below theapertures 56 is a slightly inclined channel trough 58 comprised of aplurality of channel sections secured end-to-end and having an outlet60.

Operationally, the swivel casters 26 and 28 and the power driven rollermeans 30, which are equi-distantly circumferentially spaced apart,provide a three-point support for the table top 46. Upon energization ofthe drive motor 38, the outer surface portion of the moving belt 34 atthe top side of the pulley 32 frictionally engages the underside of thetable top 46 and effects rotation thereof. The indicated three-pointsupport of the table top 46 insures that the power driven roller means30 will always be in contact with the underside of the table top 46irrespective of lack of flatness of the latter or of any otherirregularities in the cooperating parts. Relatedly, a slight clearanceor loose fit is maintained between the sleeve bearing 48 and the guidepost 24 to allow the center of the table top 46 to move up and down ortilt in response to any deflection caused by loading. Furthermore, sincethe power driven roller means 30 provides one of the three points ofsupport, the frictional force of engagement of the belt 34 with theunderside of the table top 46 varies in direct proportion to the weightof the load, Therefore, a heavy load, as well as a light load, can bemoved by the table top 46; yet, the frictional drive accommodatesslipping in the event of jamming or the like involving the table top 46.

Referring back to FIG. 1, it will be readily apparent that soileddishware, silverware and the like are initially deposited on the tabletop 46 adjacent the access opening 12. The rotating table top 46 thenserves to transfer or convey the soiled dishware from the location ofdeposit to a location adjacent the dishwashing machine 16 where a workerstanding at that location can remove the soiled dishware from the tabletop 46 and load them into the dishwashing machine 16. Dishware that arenot immediately removed are merely carried another revolution on thetable top 46. Effectively, the rotating feed table serves as anaccumulator table whereby the initially deposited dishware are movedaway from the location of deposit and spread out and distributed overthe surface of the rotating table top 46. Also, while soiled dishwareare being rotated on the table top 46, water may be sprayed from aportable hose or the like to pre-rinse the dishware before they areplaced in the' dishwashing machine. Finally, the apertures 56accommodate the flow of liquids from the upper side of the table top 46,while the channel trough 58 serves to collect liquids flowing throughthe apertures 56 and directs the same to the outlet 60 which may beconnected to a drain hose or which may open above a portable liquidcollection box.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the artthat various rearrangements and modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotating feed table for dishware and the like comprising main framemeans, a generally horizontally disposed rotatable table top, first andsecond idler roller means mounted on said main frame means and eachhaving a portion engaging the underside of said table top for supportingthe latter, power driven roller means mounted on said main frame meansand having a portion engaging the underside of said table top forsupporting and effecting rotation of the latter, and said first andsecond idler roller means and said power driven roller means beingcircumferentially spaced apart whereby to provide a three-point supportfor said table top.

2. The rotating feed table of claim 1 wherein said power driven rollermeans comprises a pulley adjacent the underside of said table top, and abelt trained over said pulley and having an outer surface portionfrictionally engaging the underside of said table top; and includingmeans for driving said belt.

3. The rotating feed table of claim 2 wherein said pulley is a V-pulleyand said belt is a V-belt.

4. The rotating feed table of claim 3 wherein said first and secondidler roller means each comprise a swivel caster.

5. The rotating feed table of claim 4 wherein said table top is providedwith an upstanding central rim portion, an upstanding outer peripheralrim portion, and a plurality of apertures intermediate said central andperipheral rim portions to accommodate the flow of liquids from theupper side of said table top; and including a channel trough mounted onsaidmain frame means below said table top for collecting liquids flowingthrough said apertures and directing the same to an outlet.

6. The rotating feed table of claim 1 wherein said table top is providedwith an upstanding central rim portion, an upstanding outer peripheralrim portion, and a plurality of apertures intermediate said central andperipheral rim portions to accommodate the flow of liquids from theupper side of said table top; and including a channel trough mounted onsaid main frame means below said table top for collecting liquidsflowing through said apertures and directing the same to an outlet.

1. A rotating feed table for dishware and the like comprising main framemeans, a generally horizontally disposed rotatable table top, first andsecond idler roller means mounted on said main frame means and eachhaving a portion engaging the underside of said table top for supportingthe latter, power driven roller means mounted on said main frame meansand having a portion engaging the underside of said table top forsupporting and effecting rotation of the latter, and said first andsecond idler roller means and said power driven roller means beingcircumferentially spaced apart whereby to provide a three-point supportfor said table top.
 2. The rotating feed table of claim 1 wherein saidpower driven roller means comprises a pulley adjacent the underside ofsaid table top, and a belt trained over said pulley and having an outersurface portion frictionally engaging the underside of said table top;and including means for driving said belt.
 3. The rotating feed table ofclaim 2 wherein said pulley is a V-pulley and said belt is a V-belt. 4.The rotating feed table of claim 3 wherein said first and second idlerroller means each comprise a swivel caster.
 5. The rotating feed tableof claim 4 wherein said table top is provided with an upstanding centralrim portion, an upstanding outer peripheral rim portion, and a pluralityof apertures intermediate said central and peripheral rim portions toaccommodate the flow of liquids from the upper side of said table top;and including a channel trough mounted on said main frame means belowsaid table top for collecting liquids flowing through said apertures anddirecting the same to an outlet.
 6. The rotating feed table of claim 1wherein said table top is provided with an upstanding central rimportion, an upstanding outer peripheral rim portion, and a plurality ofapertures intermediate said central and peripheral rim portions toaccommodate the flow of liquids from the upper side of said table top;and including a channel trough mounted on said main frame means belowsaid table top for collecting liquids flowing through said apertures anddirecting the same to an outlet.